FBI: Nothing suspicious found in car at state office building

What started as a quiet Friday in downtown Kansas City quickly turned to a tense situation shortly after noon, drawing FBI and bomb squad investigators to a car in the 600 block of East 12th Street.

In the end, the FBI said nothing suspicious was found inside the vehicle at the Fletcher Daniels State Office building.

KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that bomb squad members were called to the area about 12:15 p.m., and focused their attention on the car parked in a handicapped spot.

Police sources told Mahoney that a man parked at the state office building Friday afternoon and then walked into the federal building, asking to why he was on a terrorist watch list.

KMBC's Martin Augustine spoke with the man who admitted to being at the center of the scare, Wahed Mohaum, by phone on Friday night. Mohaum said he was not a terrorist.

"I am not a terrorist. I am a good citizen. I am proud to be an American citizen," Mohaum told Augustine.

"I never said I had a bomb. I never said anything like that whatsoever," Mohaum said.

"All I am trying to tell you is I have been a citizen for 35 years in this country and I've tried very hard to make a good living."

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Marisa Barnes said a federal bomb-sniffing dog "hit" upon something in the man's parked car, and federal officers then called police.

The state office building was evacuated as a precaution. Some workers in the federal building were given the option of leaving early for the day, Mahoney reported.

A worker at the federal building told KMBC's Cliff Judy that employees on the south side of the complex were told to move to the north side early in the afternoon. The man said he has worked in the federal complex for several years and this is the first time the entire building has been affected by a threat.

Mahoney reported that the Jackson County Jail, which is in proximity to the suspicious car, was put on lock down.

Authorities said that the 13th Street exit from Interstate 70 is closed to traffic, as well as 12th and 13th streets from Cherry to Holmes.

A 5,000-foot, 1-mile temporary flight restriction was also put into place about 2 p.m. It was lifted about 4:40 p.m.

Investigators essentially took the car apart. At first, a bomb squad robot was sent in and removed a green blanket and a tire from the trunk of the car. Shortly after 4 p.m., bomb squad members, in full protective gear, walked up to the car and took a closer look at the vehicle.

FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton released a statement late in the afternoon, saying nothing of concern was found in the car.

"While the individual was detained and is being questioned , there is no public safety concern and we determined no personnel inside the federal building were in harm’s way. The individual walked into the Federal Building to clarify whether he was under investigation by a federal agency. The individual did not make a threat of a bomb or explosive device being contained in his vehicle. Federal Law prohibits the FBI from discussing whether a person may or may not be included on national security related lists. Local Police and FBI Agents acting with an abundance of caution responded appropriately with the initial limited information they had based on witness accounts of what happened. A police canine sniffed the person’s car and alerted to a possible explosive substance. A closer look has determined that no items of concern have been located in the individuals vehicle. Again, the primary concern was for the public’s safety which made the actions today necessary."

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